Of Realizations and Epiphanies
by hannahb9202
Summary: When Carol finds Daryl in a compromising position, it is up to him to show her that she is the only one. Written for USS Caryl's Beautiful Words Challenge.


**A/N: I do not own Th Walking Dead or the characters. Please read and review!**

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"Shit, Carol." He quickly regained his composure, chasing after the woman who's eyes had just been filled with tears, "Fuckin' wait up!" He was screaming in her direction, but she kept her back turned, moving quicker than before. He followed her all the way outside, towards the fences, where she came to a sudden stop. "The hell you think yer doin'?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Her voice was cold, unfaltering, and full of pain.

**Moments Earlier**

_He'd been hoping to come downstairs to see Carol standing in the kitchen, like normal. But, he had been mistaken when he saw one of the Woodbury folk standing in front of him reaching for a stack of pots. What was her name? Rachel? No. Renne? No. Ah, Rayna, that was it. "Need some help gettin' those down?" He offered, seeing her obvious struggle, her outstretched limps trying to grasp at the metal cooking devices. _

"_If ya don't mind." She gave him a quick smile as he made his way over to the cabinet. He pulled down the pots for her and she took notice of how attractive he was. He was standing fairly close to her, closer than she had ever been to him before, and she let her mind wander to inappropriate thoughts of him. When he went to hand her the pot, she brushed her hand over his own and noticed the way he flinched at the touch. She gave him another smile, "Thank for that. You'd think they'd keep the pots lower since it's mostly women cookin' in here all the time." _

_He didn't respond with anything more than a simple shrug and she figured she had best leave him be. As attractive as he was, he wasn't really her type, anyway. Plus, she had heard the Carol and Daryl rumors since she had first arrived. _

_Daryl started to walk away and Rayna realized she needed one more pot from the cabinet. Not wanting to bother him anymore than she seemingly already had, she began reaching for it herself. She grabbed hold of the handle, but when she gave it a tug the rest of the pot cascaded down towards her. She covered her head, but lost her footing. It wasn't until the sound of the pots banging together against the concrete stopped, had she realized that she was lying on top of someone. Daryl. _

_He had heard the first pot when it hit the floor and saw the woman about to fall. He had moved quickly enough to grab her, but with all her force already tumbling down, all he could do was position himself to hit the concrete, with her on top of him. Before he could get her to move, the sound of small footsteps coming towards them became apparent. He turned his head to the side, trying to see whoever was about to enter. _

_Carol. She had just been passing through to check on things when she had heard the noises from the kitchen. She had made a quick run towards the room, fearing the worst. But, when she got there and saw Daryl and Rayna all sensible thoughts flooded from her head. All she could see was their closeness. How his arms were wrapped around the woman. "Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb anything." She made a quick turn on her heel and headed towards the prison yard. She could hear his screams from behind her, but she kept moving. It was cold out, but she still didn't stop, only taking time to wrap the cashmere scarf Daryl had got her on a run closer to her body, trying to savor the warmth. She didn't stop running until she had to. She had reached the fence and he was too close to run from, anymore. She almost laughed at the irony. _

**Present Moment**

He grabbed her arm, forcefully, but careful not to apply too much pressure. "It's freezin' out here. You can't be runnin' out here without proper clothing." He scalded her, "Not sure what yer runnin' from anyways." Daryl's words were boisterous, even over the sounds of the walkers. He was already walking her back towards the prison, but she froze in her place. Not allowing him to drag her around, anymore.

"Don't worry about me, Daryl. I'll be fine. I know how to take care of myself." Carol didn't dare look him in the eye when she spoke.

He scoffed and let go of her arm. "The hell is yer problem?" He wanted to leave her be, walk into the prison and forget about the whole thing. But, he couldn't.

"I don't have a problem. At least none that are of your concern. Just go back inside to your pretty, little girlfriend and quit bothering me."

Bothering her? The words stung and he almost started yelling again, but something stopped him. Realization. She was jealous. She thought the woman from Woodbury had somethin' going with him. The thought caused him to chuckle. When he looked back up at her, her face stern, he reached out and took gentle hold of her arms.

"Stop. Stop bein' jealous. Ya ain't got nothin to worry about." Daryl gave her arms a light squeeze.

Carol shook her head, "I'm not jealous. I have no reason to be. You aren't mine. Never have been, never will be." The words brought a sadness to her that she just couldn't explain. She stared back down at the dark ground.

He wanted to be mad at her, but he just couldn't be. She looked like she had just learned a sad truth, one that he wished desperately she didn't believe. But, then again, what had he done to show her any differently? Sure, she was one of the only people he confided in. Sure, she was the only person he let get away with flirtatious joke. Sure, he loved her, but he hadn't ever told her before. He loved her. He loved Carol. He needed to learn to show her that or he would lose her. He could tell that she was done with the games. His sudden epiphany wouldn't be enough to keep her around if he didn't share it.

He drew one of his hands away from her arms and brought it down to her face. He cupped his hand under her chin, gently forcing her to look at him. He knew he was going to have to use his words, something he wasn't particularly fond of, but he needed to do something else first. Her tear-brimmed eyes were staring at him in confusion and when she was about to speak, he put a finger to her mouth. He brought his head down, slowly, continuing to watch her puzzled expression. She gasped when his lips finally met hers. His lips were rough, but the kiss was soft and gentle and she felt her earlier fears drifting away. The cold air was no longer a thought in either of their heads when she drew her arms up to wrap around the back of his neck. He had one hand on her cheek, the other on her lower back, pulling her tightly against him.

He was sucking and nipping lightly on her lower lip, the desire for her becoming more apparent by the bulge that had formed in his jeans. He broke away, wanting to give her time to process what had just happened, and knowing that he still needed to tell her everything. "Come on. Let's go inside."

Carol gave a small nod, wondering if he had only kissed her to get her to follow him. But, she knew Daryl, and Daryl wouldn't use a kiss to get his way. It involved too much contact that he wasn't comfortable with. So, she didn't speak the entire way to her cell. She knew he probably needed to think about what he had just done.

When they got into her cell, Carol went straight for the bed. Sitting down with her feet dangling over the side. She thought he would leave, but she was happily surprised when she lifted her head to see him standing directly in front of her.

"I gotta talk to ya, Carol. There are things I shoulda been tellin' ya long ago that you deserve to know. Things I was afraid of, but I realize I jus' can't keep bein' afraid." She nodded for him to continue, not wanting her mind to get carried away with both good and bad thoughts before he even had the chance to speak, "I don't know when I started feelin' this way. Or way I ain't told ya several time over. But, ya gotta know somethin'. You gotta know that I love ya, Carol. Have for a long time." Daryl was watching her, not sure what her reaction was going to be.

Carol took in all of his words, her eyes closing tightly at the sound of his voice. He loved her. Daryl loved her.

"I just thought ya should know, but I'll be goin' now." He turned to leave, but a hand tightly grasped his wrist. He turned around and she stood, moving towards him quickly. She didn't stop until her hands had grabbed a fistful of his hair and she was brining his lips down to hers for the second time that night. This kiss was different, though. It was heated and passionate. Full of everything she had been feeling for years.

He grabbed on tightly to her, reaching down and lifting her, both of her legs wrapped around his waist. He heard her mumbling something in between each of her kisses, "I love you, too." Over and over. He smiled at the sound, wanting to curse himself for wasting so much time.

She felt her back being pressed into the cool, firm mattress. His hands were at the front of her body now, reaching for the fabric at the base. Her body shuddered when she felt his hands collide with her skin. She lifted herself up enough to let him pull the shirt from her torso. Her closed eyes opened when she no longer felt him touching her, praying that it hadn't all been a dream or that he had seen her and decided he didn't want her any longer. But, any fears she had melted away when she saw his face. The look of hunger and desire so clear in his eyes. She couldn't remember if anyone had ever stared at her the way he was now.

He took in every inch of her body, his growing desire for her pulsating through the thin material of his jeans. Looking away from her newly uncovered stomach, he reached her eyes and felt himself lurch forward again, attacking her mouth. He kissed her so deeply, he didn't even feel her wrap her legs around his back. Not until she began pushing into him. He could feel his cock painfully aching to be released with her body being that close against his, even through their pants. Something he knew needed to be discarded soon, but not just yet. He let himself enjoy a few more swipes of her tongue, before he began to move his head lower, to her neck. When she let out a low moan, he smiled against her skin, continuing to suck to the point that he knew there would be a bruise tomorrow. He continued his downward trail and reached his hand around to her back, unclasping the bra, and puling it from her skin. He wanted to give himself another few moments to look at her, but the lust feeling the room was too much to take. If he had his way, there would be plenty of time to do this again, later. And next time, he would spend all day memorizing every inch of her body. But right now, all he wanted to do was be with her. All of her.

Carol loved the way he was touching her, kissing her, loving her. But, the wet heat coming from the lower region of her body was beginning to be too much to take. She grabbed him by his hair forcefully, causing him to give her a growl that she swore could send her over the edge. She didn't stop, kept tugging until he looked up to her. "Daryl, I want this more than you know. I really do. And all of this, this touching and kissing. I want it all. But, right now. I need you." The admission was causing her to blush in the darkness of her cell, "I need you in me. I need to feel you."

When he first heard her voice, he was admittedly scared that he had gone too far and she had decided this wasn't what she wanted. But, when she finished he finally understood. And who was he to keep his woman waiting?

He smiled at her and threw his vest off his shoulders. He started unbuttoning his shirt, when his hands began to freeze up. What if she saw the scars? What if she thought they were too ugly? Would she run? He shook off all of his thoughts. This was Carol. His Carol. She would never pity him or look at him with disgust. He knew that. By the time he came to his senses, she was already ripping the shirt off, mumbling an apology about sewing the buttons back on later.

Daryl reached for the zipper on his pants, watching as she was crawling out of her own. 'Damn woman don't waste no time.' He chuckled to himself at the thought. He pulled down his pants, kicking them the rest of the way off. He hadn't worn any underwear and right now, he was damn glad he didn't. He gave her one last look, making sure this was what she really wanted.

Carol couldn't take it anymore. She could tell he needed reassure, so she reached her head up to meet his, drawing him into another kiss. She ran a hand down his stomach, not stopping until she reached his fully erect cock and wrapped her hand around it. His breath hitched and she took the moment to line himself up with her.

He could tell what she was doing and when she had positioned both of them, he thrust into her gently. Her loud moan was silenced by his mouth. He waited a moment, giving them both time to adjust. When he felt she was ready, he began moving slowly at first, but quickly picked up the speed. Her legs wrapped back around his back and he felt her moving with him. "Not gonna last much longer." He whispered to her, moving his face to the crook of her neck. He pushed harder and faster than he ever had before.

She screamed into his shoulder, biting down and dragging her nails down his back, when she felt the orgasm take control of her body. The waves of pleasure causing her to shake under him.

When Daryl felt her come undone underneath him, his own body gave a shudder. Only a few more thrusts and he was rocked by his own orgasm, coming inside of her.

He moved to the side of her, letting his body collapse from exhaustion next to her. She turned to face him, placing on of her hands on his shoulder, the other moving hair out of his face. "Please, tell me this wasn't a dream. Tell me this is real. That you are staying." She was almost pleading at this point. She couldn't handle the games any longer. Either it was going to be them all of the time, or this would just be another bittersweet memory.

Daryl searched her face, and nodded, "Ain't no place else I'd rather be than with you."


End file.
